I bumped into this footnote in Ian McDonalds Revolution In The Head (which does contain notable erros by the way. For example: it says that I'll Follow The Sun was written in Hamburg. But it was recorded on a tape machine by The Quarrymen before they went to Germany). The footnote I mentioned is for this song. I quote, complete with the formentioned error: "Written during the summer of 1960 in Hamburg, it's a regretful if ultimately rather callous ditty composed like When I'm 64, as a diversion from nights of noisy rock-and-roll. According to former Beatles drummer Pete Best, the 18-year-old McCartney would play it on a piano between sets at the Kaiserkeller, announcing cheerily to anyone in earshot 'I've written a song'. Footnot: 'At this juncture, McCartney had temporarily become The Beatles' pianist, his cheap Rosetti Solid 7 guitar having rapidly succumbed to the rigours of knockabout performances in sweaty fleapits and fallen to pieces. When, within weeks, Lennon bought his Rickenbacker 325, he gave McCartney the single pickup Hofner Club 40 he'd acquired in Hamburg a few months earlier.'

Not dated correctly in my opinion, but the pickup idea might be interersting.

...Footnot: 'At this juncture, McCartney had temporarily become The Beatles' pianist, his cheap Rosetti Solid 7 guitar having rapidly succumbed to the rigours of knockabout performances in sweaty fleapits and fallen to pieces. When, within weeks, Lennon bought his Rickenbacker 325, he gave McCartney the single pickup Hofner Club 40 he'd acquired in Hamburg a few months earlier.'

Not dated correctly in my opinion, but the pickup idea might be interersting.

You are right. There are several errors on that quote:

1) Lennon purchased his Höfner Club 40 on 28 August 1959 at Hessy's music shop (=Liverpool...)

2) The first pickup seen on McCartney's Rosetti Solid 7 (=after the "reconstruction" of the guitar, seen in a pic at The Casbah dated February 1961 according to Chaz Avery) is a FUMA_type one, very different from the Höfner ones that were fitted on the Höfner Club 40 guitars...

...Paul is holding the guitar here, but it's the only picture I know where he's holding it. Dated?

So do I...,

There is no precise date for that photo.

However, Brian Griffiths told us that he went with Lennon to the music shop in Hamburg to purchase the Rickenbacker. As The Seniors left Hamburg on 1 October 1960 (=according to Eric Krasker), Lennon could gave the Höfner Club 40 to McCartney by September 1960.

But that Höfner Club 40 should have to be sold in Hamburg, as it didn't return back to Liverpool...